Torpedo signal mechanism



(No Model.) I 3 sheets-sheet 1. T. H. WILLSON. ToRPEDo 4SIGNALvMEGHMIISM.

No. 516,322. Patented Ma1-.13, 1894n 4 lf/3 Sla il MAMM- umomuhvlmCOMPMY.

WABMINGYDMID. e.

(No Model.) 3 Sheet-Sheet 3.

T. H.l WILLSON. ToRPEDo SIGNAL MBGHANISM.

No. 516,322( Patented Mar. f13, 1894.

TENT reich.

THOMAS `I-I. WILLSON, OF ODESSA, MISSOURI.

TORPEDO SIGNAL MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,322,'dated March13, 1894. Application filed May 17, 1892. Renewed January 27, 1894.Serial No. 498.259. (No model.)

To ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. WILLsoN, of Odessa, Lafayette county,Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TorpedoSignaling Mechanism for Railway-Switches, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to that class of railway appliances which serve toindicate the positions of railway switches, or in other words, toindicate whether such switches are opened or closed, and the objects ofmy invention are to' produce a signaling-mechanism which shall besimple,l strong, durable, and inexpensive in construction, and automaticand reliable in operation, and which shall cause the train or otherrailway vehicle when moving toward the switch, to cause an audibleexplosion or signal, in the event of the switch being open; thus warningthe engineer and enabling him to stop his train if the switch has beenopened through mistake or carelessness or with mischievous intent.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter describedand claimed.

In orderthat my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichrFigure 1 is a plan view of a railwayswitch and `its operating-stand withmy signalingmechanism applied thereto; the mechanism being shown insolid lines as out of operation, and in dotted lines as in operativeposition. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, viewed toward the rearof the torpedo-box. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same,on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; the torpedomechanism being shown in operativeposition, in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section ofthe same, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; the torpedo being shown asprojected from its box. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective View of thetorpedo-carrying-arm. Fig. 6 is a view principally in plan, butpartially in horizontal section, of a signaling-mechanism embodyingcertain modifications of con- Fig. 7 is a detached perspectivestruction.

view of one of the double arms for actuating the torpedo-carrying arm.Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the torpedo-carryn ing arm usedin connection with the structure shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detachedperspective view of a modilied form of the tie-bars for connecting thefree ends of the two movable switch-rails. These rails may be of theusual or any preferred type of construction, and are mounted in anysuitable or preferred manner upon theties 5; said ties being also of theusual or any preferred type. It will be understood from vthe ensuingdescription, that the rail 3 may be the rail of a spur, siding, orbranch track, as circumstances may require, and also that the switch maybe either a single, double, or multiple switch, as circumstances mayrequire. At one 'side of the switch, is located a switch-stand 6, whichmay also be ofthe usual or any preferred type of construction. As shown,however, the base 7 of the switch-stand supports a suitable 8ostandard-frame 8, and also the lower end of the signal-lautern post 9; asignal-lantern l0, of the usual or any preferred type being mounted uponthe upper end of the post 9,

and an arrow 11 and target 12 being also car- 8 5 ried'by the upperport-ion of the post 9 in the customary manner. Just above the top ofthe standard-frame 8 of the switch-stand 6, is mounted a crank-arm13 andan operatinghandle 14; said parts being arranged to turn 9o ywith thepost 9, and extending horizontally outward from said post. Near itslower end the post 9 carries a horizontal outwardly extending stud'orprojection 15, to which is connected one end of the rod or wire 16, theopposite end of which is connected to the sliding tie-bar 4L of theswitch-rails, in any suitable or preferred manner. The arrangement issuch that when the switch-stand is operated, the turning of the post 9inone direction causes the switch to'be opened, andthe turning of thepost in the opposite direction causes the switch to be closed; so thatthe train or other railway vehicle shall be directed IOO from the mainline upon the branch, siding, or spur, as the case may be.

At one side of the main line, and at apoint a considerable distance awayfrom th'e switch proper, is located a box or casing 17, which may beeither of wood or ot' metal, as preferred and which may be either of theprecise form shown, or of any other suitable or preferred form for thepurposes to be described. As shown, the box or casing 17 is ofrectangular form, closed at its top and sides and having its outer orrear portion provided with a suitable door 18 which is hinged, as at 19,to the top of the box or casing. This door 18 is retained normally inclosed position by a hasp 20, a padlock passing through a staple 22 inthe body of the box or casing 18, being shown as the means for securingthe door in closed position. This door serves to permit access to theinterior ot the box or casings, when desired. Nithin this box or casing17 is placed a vertical standard 23 which is arranged to oscillateaxially, and which is surrounded by a stout spiral spring 23. The lowerend of this spring is inserted rigidly into or rigidly secured to thebottom of the box or casing 17, and the upper end of said spring isrigidly inserted into or secured to the torpedo-carrying arm 25. Asshown, this armv25 is in the form of a skeleton metal castinghavingmidway of its length an opening 26 to receive the upper end ot thestandard 23, and having at one end an extension or arm 27 to carry thetorpedo 28. This torpedo may be ot the usual or any preferred type ofconstruction, and may be attached to the end of the extension arm 27 inany suitable or preferred manner. As shown, however, the torpedo 28 isprovided with a stem 29 which enters a socket 30 in the outer end of thearm 27. To the Opposite end of the arm 25, which lies horizontally uponthe standard 23, is secured one end of a wire rope 31,01' any othersimilar appliance; said rope being connected at its opposite end withthe outer end of the arm 13 of the switch-stand post 9, as hereinaftermore fully explained. A door 32 is hinged, as at 33 to the upper part ofthe front of the box, and normally closes an opening 34 in said front,and this door is engaged and opened, at times, by the outer end otl anarm 28 which extends obliquely from the carrying-arm 25, at the frontportion thereof.

At a point between the switch-stand 6 and the box or casing 17, islocated ,a signal-stand 6a, the construction of which is preciselysimilar to that ot the switch-stand 6 and which carries a signallantern, arrow and target, it being observed however, that in thesignalstand, the operating arm or lever 14 is'omitted. The post 9 of theswitch-stand o*L 1s surrounded at its lower portion by a stout spiralspring 36, the lower end ot' which is rigidly Isecured to the base 7 ofthe stand and the upper end of which is rigidly secured to the lowerpart of the post 9. The tendency of this spring 36 is to so turn thepost 9 as to cause its signal to show that the switch is closed, and thetendency of the spring 211 being to Yso turn the standard 23 as towithdraw the arm 25 within the box or casing 17. The rope 3l extends andis connected to the outer end of the arm 13 of the signal-stand 6 andthence to the arm 13 ot the switch-stand The attachment of the rope 31to the arm 13 of the switch-stand 6 is preferably accomplished by meansof a hook 31, so that the rope may be disconnected from the arm when theswitch is intended to be opened, but no alarm-sig nal is to be sounded,as for example, when a tra'in is being side-tracked. If desired, asuitable locking attachment may be employed for connecting the end otthe rope 31 to the arm 13 as shown in Fig. 9 so that said rope cannot bedisconnected by unauthorized persons. In this arrangement a staple 40 ismountedA upon the outer end of the arm 13, and hasp-plate 41 is securelyconnected t0 the wire 31. A suitable padlock 42 is passed through thestaple, so as to retain the haspplate in connection with the arm. It isto be understood that if preferred the connection of the rope to the arm13 may bea permanent one, so that the torpedo arm shall always bethrown.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8, I have shown a modified arrangement in which thetorpedo-carrying arm 25 is moved to carry the torpedo upon the rail andalso to withdraw the arm Within the box or casing, by the movements ofthe switch and signal stand posts. In this arrangement two wire-ropes,or equivalent dexible connections 50 are used. One rope 50 is attachedto the arm 28, as at 51, and the other rope is attached as at 52, to theopposite end-of the arm 25 from that which carries the torpedo. The post9 of the switch-stand 6 and also the post 9 of the signal-stand 6, carryeach a double arm 53 to the opposite ends of which are connected the tworopes, as at 54. Thus it will be seen that the torpedo-carrying arm 25is moved in both directions by the movements of the posts of the switchand signal stands, and that the spring 23 of the torpedo-arm standardand the spring 36 of the signal-stand post may be dispensed with.

From the above description,it will be seen that when the switch-stand isso operated as to open the switch, the torpedo 2S will be carried acrossthe1 top ot' the adjacent rail, and the wheels of a passing train, orother railway vehicle, will strike and explode the torpedo, also turningthe arrow in the day time and showing the danger light at night ot' thesignal stand 6, thus enabling the engineer to stop the train before ithas lreached the switch.

It will be seen that the appliances are very simple, strong, durable,and inexpensive in construction and entirely automatic and reliable intheir operation.

IOO

IZO

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire' to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A torpedo signaling mechanism for railway switches, comprisinga switchstand composed of a vertical and axially moving standard, having a studor projection connected by a wire or rod to the sliding tie-bar of theswitch rails, a horizontal arm for operating the vertical standard, anda horizontal. arm, connected by a rope or cable to an arm extendingparallel therewith of a vertically and axially movable standard of asignal stand, placed a suitable distance from the switch-stand, and alantern and arrow, which are also carried by the upper end of the signalstandard, and a casing having a door at the side adjacent to the railand a door in the opposite side thereof, and a vertical standard steppedto axially revolve in said casing, having a hori-v THOMAS H. wILLsoN.

Vitnesses:

HARRIET E. PRICE, JNO. L. OONDRON.

